Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Top Foods for Dieting

You don't have to be on a weight loss plan to lose weight.  If you want to burn more fat but don't want restrictions, calorie counting, or high priced but low flavor packaged food, try incorporating these seven powerful foods into your diet. 
These foods will help you in a variety of ways.  Some will help increase your metabolism.  Most will help make you feel more full.  Others can actually help burn fat.  The best way to add these foods to your diet is to use them to replace the junk food that you eat.  Then you'll get a double weight loss bonus by cutting empty calories, sugars, and bad fats and by adding these diet foods.

Fibrous and Vegetable Based

All of these foods are plant-based.  A diet high in fiber is one of the secrets to effective weight loss.  Fiber is great for a number of reasons.  It helps lower LDL, the bad cholesterol.  It makes you feel full and eat less.  High fiber foods take longer to digest.  Your resting metabolism increases due to the work your body does digesting these foods.
This list is in no particular order.  There is no miracle food so number one won't help you lose more weight than any of the other numbers.  Instead, try to add or increase the amount of all of these foods in your diet.  If you don't like one, then focus on the other six.
1.  Apples 
The pectin in apples makes you feel more full.  This is a great way to eat less.  In addition, the pectin actually limits your cells fat absorption.  Try an apple in the morning during breakfast or try it as a midday snack.
2.  Avocadoes
Avocadoes are proof that a food does not have to be low in fat to help you lose weight.  Instead, it needs to have the right kind of fat.  Avocadoes contain more than  25 of the essential nutrients.  When you eat an avocado you're getting B vitamins, potassium, vitamin E, and lutein.
3.  Grapefruits
Of all the citrus foods, grapefruit ranks the best as a diet food.  It can lower your insulin levels which in turn will make you less hungry.  If you don't like grapefruit, add a different citrus fruit.  Both grapefruits and oranges can increase your metabolism.  The vitamin C actually dilutes fat.
4.  Hot peppers
Spicy foods such as jalapeños are one of the best diet foods.  They give a quick boost to the metabolism.  They also prove that healthy food is not necessarily bland.
chili pepper
5.  Broccoli
Broccoli is a powerful anticancer food.  Its high in calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin A, and vitamin C.  It's filling without being high in calories.
6.  Blueberries
Blueberries are full of powerful antioxidants.  They fight against disease, give you energy, and their sweet taste makes a great snack.
7.  Almonds
Of all the nuts, almonds are the most nutritional.  Have a handful of almonds in the morning during breakfast to give you energy for the rest of the day.  They are also great to replace any unhealthy snack foods which are standing in the way of your weight loss goals.
Adding these top seven foods to your diet will help you lose weight while being healthy.  The weight will not come off overnight, but you will gradually shed pounds and keep them off.